The Wedding Crasher
by NikkiB1973
Summary: A four part short story set in BD AU. Jake crashes Bella's wedding and starts a whole lot of trouble...
1. Chapter 1

**The Wedding Crasher**

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to Stephanie Meyer.

_**A/N-A four part short story! Set in BD AU.**_

**Part One**

Bella sat down at one of the tables. It was still laden with food; there had been so much that a lot of it hadn't even been eaten. She was exhausted. It had been a long day and the high heeled shoes she had been forced to wear were killing her feet. She glanced over toward Alice who was dancing with Jasper. She seemed preoccupied. Bella quickly flicked off the shoes and shoved them under the long cloth covering the table. She sighed in relief as she flexed her toes. Bella's eyes traveled around the reception area. Alice had done an amazing job decorating. Fairy lights of all colors festooned the trees surrounding the large open plan area that had been specially built for the reception. They twinkled in the darkening light, making the atmosphere appear magical. Most of the guests were up and dancing. Only a few were still seated.

She saw her father on the dance floor partnering Sue Clearwater. Charlie wasn't used to dancing and it showed in the stiff way he held himself as he revolved around the floor. Sue was doing her best to show him the steps, and his face was in deep concentration as he stared down at his feet. Bella saw her mother dancing with her stepfather, Phil. Her head was thrown back, her short brown hair waving in the slight breeze as she laughed happily. Bella finally found her new husband. She smiled wryly as she saw him dancing with Tanya. She was kind of an old flame of Edward's. He hadn't been interested in pursuing a relationship with the blonde beauty, but it hadn't stopped Tanya claiming Edward for several dances. Bella herself had been passed from one person to another. The last had been Mike Newton, who had trod on her toes so many times as they danced, that Bella had begged exhaustion. She had left him in Jessica's clutches as she hunted for a spare table where she could sit alone and rest.

Bella pulled up the long skirts of her wedding dress and reached down and rubbed the arches of her feet. She was finally getting some feeling back into them. A shadow fell across her and she glanced up to see Seth standing in front of her. He looked unusually serious and a bit nervous. "Won't you sit down?" Bella gestured toward the empty seats. "If you want a dance I'll have to refuse I'm just too tired."

"I won't sit." Seth glanced about him worriedly.

Bella frowned, picking up on his anxiety. "What is is Seth?" She asked the young teenager in a whisper.

Seth quickly handed her a folded piece of paper. Bella took it and began to open it. "What is this?"

"Just read it." Seth begged.

Bella scanned the contents of the note and her heart rate picked up exponentially. She stared up at Seth, redness tingeing her cheeks, which had nothing to do with the liberal blusher that Alice had applied that morning. "He's here?" She kept her voice very low; there were too many prying ears about.

Seth nodded, furtively looking around again in case anyone was watching them. Edward was still preoccupied with Tanya and no one else was glancing their way. "He's round the back of the house." He told her.

Bella took a deep breath and fanned herself with her hands. For some reason she was feeling incredibly hot. "Take me to him." She got up and put a hand out to steady herself.

"Are you alright?" Seth asked in concern. He could see she was trembling.

"I'm fine, it's just a shock that's all. No word for weeks then this." Bella took another steadying breath. "Is he okay? I mean is he well?"

"Yeah he seems pretty together." Seth scanned the area again. He held out his arm and Bella placed her hand on it.

"If anyone sees us I'll say that I'm feeling a little tired and I need to freshen up." Bella told him. "Thankfully Alice won't see because you are with me."

"I suspect that was the plan." Seth sighed.

Bella had to agree. She leaned on Seth as she crossed the spacious gardens, her bare feet sinking into the soft grass. She was glad she had removed the offending shoes otherwise she would be tripping over her own feet. Their progress was still slower than she would have liked, the long skirts of her designer wedding dress impeded her movement. She was glad that she had Seth to lean on. They circumnavigated the rest of the guests; Bella smiled at them and gave then a cheery wave as she passed. Finally they reached the darkened corner of the Cullen mansion and slipped out of a little side door which led out to the back where the huge trees signaled the beginning of the forest.

"I'll leave you here." Seth gently let go of her arm and melted into the shadows.

Bella stood still, holding her breath in anticipation. She peered into the gloom, angry that her weak eyesight couldn't pierce the darkness. She was so anxious to see him after spending so many weeks worrying about his fate. Her hands clenched together in front of her. "Jake?" She hissed, annoyed that he was taking so long to appear. Had he changed his mind and left?

"At last she calls." Jacob's familiar husky tones announced his arrival.

Bella stepped forward as she saw him step out into the light. She exhaled deeply, her breath fogging in the chilly air. She took a second to drink him in. He looked much the same. He was still as tall and toned as ever. For once he was fully clothed. He was wearing a simple white shirt, open at the neck, the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. He had teamed the shirt with a pair of dark jeans.

"Your hair?" Bella turned her head to the side. His beautiful black hair had been shorn to his head. It looked like someone had cut it with gardening shears.

Jacob put a hand to his head and touched the short strands. "Yeah, I only got back an hour ago. My hair was a state. All I could find to cut it were some blunt scissors." He shrugged.

"Where have you been?" Bella asked as she edged nearer to him. Jacob stepped closer at the same time as if they were both attached together by an invisible string.

"Everywhere." Jacob shrugged again. "I spent some time in Canada."

"I was worried." Bella whispered. "I called Seth every day to ask for news."

Jacob gave her a bitter version of his normal smile. "Yes he told me."

"No one else would speak to me." Bella continued. "Seth was the only one who would give me the time of day."

"That's Seth for you." Jacob looked her up and down, taking in the ornate wedding gown. She seemed like one of those pretty Dresden dolls that they used to make in the fifties. She didn't look like Bella at all. "So you're married."

Bella flinched at his harsh tone. "Yes." She said stiffly.

"Happy?"

"Yes, now that you are here too." Bella closed the gap between them and held out her hands to him. Jacob hesitated a moment before taking them. She sighed in bliss as she soaked in his warmth.

"Bella I'm not going to make this one long drawn out goodbye. I wasn't going to come but I just needed to see for myself and now I have." Jacob suddenly released her hands.

"You're just going to go?" Bella was shocked. She had expected to have a conversation with him at least. Not this!

"Yes." Jacob backed toward the trees, his dark eyes unreadable.

As if still attached to the invisible string Bella followed him, her bare feet leaving footprints in the dirt. "Hey, wait. You can't just come and then walk off like this."

Jacob ignored her, he continued to stalk off through the trees. Bella picked up her skirts and began to jog after him. "Jake?" She called out. "Wait, just wait."

Jacob suddenly halted. He waited for Bella to reach him before suddenly spinning round and catching hold of her. Before she could utter a cry of any sort Jacob had her back pressed against a tree and his lips crashed onto hers. She was so taken aback that she didn't stop him as he kissed her hard on the mouth. It reminded her of the last time he had made an unsuccessful pass at her. She did the same as she had then, she remained still until he made an angry noise in the back of his throat and pulled away.

"Nothing has changed." He spat. He released her and backed away.

Bella took deep breaths as she tried to regain her composure. She was livid at the way he had just acted. "If Edward had seen you do that he would have ripped you apart."

"I'd like to see him try." Jacob retorted. He ran a hand agitatedly through his hair before spinning around and walking away again.

Bella pushed herself away from the tree and stumbled after him. "Hey, you can't just leave like that?" She screamed at him.

"I can do what I want." Jacob said over his shoulder. "Go back to the leech that you married. I am done here."

"Be like that then." Bella yelled as he continued to walk away from her.

Jacob didn't reply. He soon disappeared out of sight, leaving Bella alone in the darkness.

* * *

Bella knew she needed to change out of her wedding dress. Edward would smell Jacob's scent all over her. She managed to sneak back into the house and up to his room. The whole mansion was deserted, everyone else was still outside enjoying the party. Bella strode into the bathroom and looked at herself in the full length mirror. She looked a mess. Alice's carefully applied make up was beginning to run. Mascara was running down her cheeks and her lipstick was smeared from where Jacob had kissed her. Bella put a hand to her lips briefly. She could still taste him. She shook herself. It was imperative that she changed quickly.

She tore at the dress, angry that it was buttoned from the back. She yanked at it hard and heard the buttons pop, some flew off but she was past caring. She slithered out of it and chucked it on the four poster bed. As speedily as she could Bella took off her silky underwear, unpinned her hair and got in the shower. When she switched it on the warm water ran down her chilled skin, warming her up instantly. She couldn't help but compare the feeling to Jacob. She hastily soaped herself down and washed her hair.

Annoyed that he was intruding on her thoughts, Bella turned off the water jets and pulled her hair back from the her face, squeezing out the ends. Alice would not be happy that she had ruined all her hard work but Bella was glad to get rid of the cloying make up and the stiff hairdo. She shoved open the shower door and blindly reached out for a towel. She was certain she had hung one on the towel rail. She reached out again when suddenly a soft towel was passed to her. Bella gasped as she rubbed at her eyes and opened them properly.

"That's my Bella." Jacob stood in the doorway of the bathroom, smirking at her. He laughed at her outraged expression before leaving her alone in the room.

Bella's face turned red with mortification as she dried herself off and wrapped another long towel around herself, covering her nakedness. Unfortunately her clothes were all in the main bedroom, she had no choice but to go out there. She took a deep breath and clenched her teeth before striding into the bedroom.

"The towel suits you better then that damn dress." Jacob was lying on the four poster bed, his hands behind his head as he grinned at her cheekily.

"How the hell did you get in here?" Bella raged at him.

"I sneaked in." Jacob said nonchalantly.

"You said you were done." Bella snapped as she bent down to gather her going away outfit.

"I lied." Jacob watched as she flashed him a warning glare before retreating to the bathroom and locking the door.

"You need to leave." Bella called through the door as she pulled on her underwear and yanked the blue dress over her head. Damn it, why was the zip at the back unreachable? She tried to reach it but it was impossible. She needed help. Cautiously she unlocked the door again and peered round it. Jacob was now sitting on the edge of the bed, a contemplative look on his face. Bella edged out into the room, holding the front of the dress up so it wouldn't slide to the floor. "I need help." She muttered.

Jacob looked over at her. A bemused smile crossed his face as he stood and walked over to her. "What do you need?"

Bella could sense the ambiguity in that question. She turned her back to him and pointed at the zip. "Can you?" She asked, her voice sounding strange to her ears. She pulled her hair to one side and twisted her head round to look at him.

Jacob was staring down at the zip or more specifically her ass. Bella frowned. "Jake?"

Her voice pulled him out of his stupor. He swallowed thickly as he reached down and caught the zip in his fingers. He slowly began to pull the zip up, his eyes trained on it the whole time. Suddenly his head shot up and his eyes narrowed. Bella was stunned when he caught hold of her arm and pulled her behind him. She soon knew why as the sound of the bedroom door opening made her heart beat fast in her chest. Someone was coming in, but who?

_**A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	2. Chapter 2

**The Wedding Crasher**

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to Stephanie Meyer.

_**A/N-thank you for the awesome reviews. Nikki :)**_

**Part Two**

The door opened wider, Jacob kept himself in front of Bella, ready to protect her against whoever was coming in. Bella trembled as she peered around him. She still held the front of the dress up as it had only been zipped halfway. A shadow fell across the carpeted floor before finally revealing who it belonged to. Rosalie's blond head peeked around the door; her amber eyes widening as she gazed over at Bella, who was still half hidden behind Jacob. She saw Bella clutching the front of her dress in one hand and a sly smile lit up Rosalie's face as she came further into the room and shut the door.

"Well, well." She said as she leaned nonchalantly against the closed door and folder her arms. "What has the new bride been up to I wonder?"

Bella edged around Jacob who had relaxed now he knew it was just the ice queen. "It's not what you think. Jake was just helping me..."

"In or out of your clothes?" Rosalie sneered as she eyed the discarded wedding dress.

"It's not like that." Bella beseeched her. "I was having trouble with my zip and Jake was just doing it up for me."

"Carry on then." Rosalie smirked. "Far be it for me to interrupt." She waved one carefully manicured hand in their direction.

Bella bit her bottom lip as Jacob smiled smugly and finished zipping up the back of the dress. "All done." He announced.

"How did you get in here?" Rosalie asked him. She pushed away from the door and fluffed her blonde hair a little as she caught her reflection in the mirror.

"It was easy. I just walked through the back entrance." Jacob shrugged.

"Why didn't you just come through the front?" Rosalie said sarcastically.

"I don't have to answer your questions. I came here to see Bella, that's it." Jacob was getting bored with the conversation.

"Edward was looking for you." Rosalie turned her attention to Bella, who was looking increasingly uncomfortable.

"He is?" Bella swallowed nervously. "Where is he now?"

"He and Alice are searching the grounds. I offered to check the house." Rosalie smirked again. "Lucky for you it was me."

"There is nothing going on." Bella didn't like Rosalie's insinuation.

"If you say so, Bella. Not that I care either way. I suggest you come back to the party." Rosalie turned round gracefully before glancing over her shoulder at Jacob. "You come too, after all you are her friend."

Jacob looked at the blonde vampire speculatively. She was a looker, although not to his taste. She certainly liked to wind Bella up, but he found despite her sarcasm and manipulative nature, he liked her better than the other vamps. "I'll take you up on that." He agreed.

"Jake you can't." Bella protested.

"Yes I can." Jacob grinned at her. "You heard the girl."

"This way." Rosalie laughed at Bella's worried expression. She loved stirring things up, the reception had been rather dull and boring, it needed livening up. She knew that the dog would definitely provide some much needed entertainment.

* * *

Bella hurried after Jacob down the long winding staircase. Her hair was still wet and dripping down the back of her dress. He was making no effort to slow his pace so she could catch him up. "Wait, Jake, stop, please." She begged him.

Rosalie had long since disappeared out of the large front entrance. Her graceful movements only made Bella feel more clumsy and inadequate. Jacob finally relented and waited for Bella at the bottom of the grand staircase. She stumbled down the last few steps and straight into his waiting arms. He laughed as she pushed him away from her and stepped back. "I don't think your leech would like to see you throwing yourself at me, Bells." He teased her.

"Jake you need to go. I don't want any trouble. You can't just crash my wedding." Bella pleaded.

"I'm not crashing. Blondie invited me." Jacob shrugged again. "Come on I want to sample some of that food that's being left to rot out there." He began to walk toward the open doors.

Bella had no choice but to follow him. He wasn't going to listen to a word she said. She just hoped that things wouldn't get too out of hand. The reception was still in full swing as they both emerged into the open. Most of the guests were on the dance floor as the live band played a jive. Jacob stunned Bella by suddenly gripping her tight around the waist and hauling her onto the dance floor. He placed her carefully back onto her feet and took her hands. "Shall we?"

"Dance?" Bella shook her head as she tried to back away. "Don't be ridiculous, Jake. I need to find Edward."

"I am sure the leech will sniff you out." Jacob sneered as he gripped her hand and pulled her into the center of the dancing couples.

Bella didn't want to cause a scene so she just glared at him as he put one hand on her waist and began to move in time to the music. Jacob was a good dancer, which helped Bella as she had trouble staying upright a lot of the time. She let him lead as they spun round. Soon she forgot her worries as the music picked up it's pace and Jacob gripped her lower back and suddenly leaned her backwards so that her drying hair was like a curtain behind her. She laughed as he pulled her upright and spun her round, making her dizzy. She crashed into his chest and they both laughed again as he took her hands and they continued to dance.

"Jake is that you?" Charlie's voice interrupted their moment. Bella heard Jacob sigh as he stopped moving and looked over toward Charlie, who was weaving through the crowd toward him.

"Hey, Charlie." He greeted the older man.

Charlie beamed at him as he hit him on the back. "Good to see you, Jake." He turned to his daughter. "Why didn't you let me know that he was coming, Bells? You know I've been worried."

"She didn't know." Jacob spoke before Bella could open her mouth. "I only arrived home about an hour ago and came straight here."

"Does Billy know yet?" Charlie's voice turned stern as he looked at Jacob's guilty expression.

"I think Seth would have told him." Jacob mumbled.

"You need to see him. He has been as worried as me, although he hasn't shown it too much. Your dad keeps things hidden. I've been putting missing posters up everywhere." Charlie shook his head in disbelief.

"I'm sorry, Charlie. It was wrong of me to take off without a word to anyone." Jacob apologized.

"Well at least you're back." Charlie pushed his irritation to one side. He really was delighted that Jacob had returned. The boy was like a son to him. "I'll go and tell Billy that you are with Bells and will be straight over."

"Thanks." Jacob forced a smile onto his face. He hadn't been planning on facing his father just yet.

Bella watched her dad disappear off into the crowd before turning her attention back to Jacob. He looked downcast. He was frowning, the good mood from moments earlier had vanished. "You should go and see him." She urged.

"Only if you come with me." Jacob raised his eyes and looked at her intently.

Bella bit down on her bottom lip. Edward would still be looking for her. She should really go and seek him out. But when stared up into Jacob's dark eyes she couldn't deny him that simple request. She nodded her head. "I'll come."

Jacob's face relaxed. He took her hand and began to weave his way through the dancers, pulling her along behind him. Bella got some strange looks from the guests, who were probably wondering why she was holding hands with the handsome stranger, and not her husband. She did her best to ignore them as she followed behind Jacob. They found Billy and Charlie, who were sharing a table with Seth and his mother, Sue. Billy's eyes were scanning the crowd as he tried to hunt for his son. They lit up when Jacob cane into view, then darkened as he saw that he was clutching tightly to Bella's hand.

"Dad." Jacob pulled out a chair for Bella and she perched on the edge. She gave Billy a wan smile which he did not return.

"Where the hell have you been, Jake?" Billy snapped. "I have been worried sick."

"I'm sorry." Jacob pulled out another chair for himself and automatically reached for Bella's hand. He felt her squeeze his fingers and he relaxed. "I shouldn't have run away like that."

"No, you shouldn't have." Billy huffed.

Jacob shifted uncomfortably in his seat. The tension became palpable as Billy continued to glare at his son. Sue decided to act as mediator. "Come on this is a wedding. This is a happy occasion."

"Wedding?" Billy spat sarcastically. "It seems the bride is holding hands with the wrong man."

Bella flushed a dull red as all eyes turned her way. She saw her father's eyes flicker to her hand which was still being held firmly by Jacob. "Bells?" He said enquiringly.

"I need to find Edward. Excuse me." Bella got up from her seat and pulled her hand away from Jacob's.

He flashed Billy an annoyed glance before getting up himself. "I can't speak to you when you're like this." He grabbed hold of Bella's hand again and yanked her after him back toward the dance floor.

"Jake, let go." She hissed. "I need to look for Edward."

"I want to dance." Jacob ignored her protests and pulled her back into the middle of the swaying crowd. A slow number was now playing. He put his hands on her waist and pulled her close. Bella glanced about her. No one was looking their way. They were more interested in wrapping themselves round their dance partners. She gave in and rested her cheek against his as he lowered his head and closed his eyes. They began to sway slowly to the music. Jacob's hands were warm on her waist and it felt soothing. Her body relaxed as her hands crept up around his neck and hugged him closer. She felt a trail of heat up her back as Jacob stroked the exposed skin showing through the dress. Bella closed her eyes and pushed everything out of her mind as she enjoyed the feel of his arms around her and the intoxicating music which seemed to have them both hypnotized.

Rosalie was pressed close to Emmet. He was humming the words of the song in her ear. He had a deep baritone voice and was a surprisingly good singer. He would often sing to her when they were alone; he hated the others knowing about his secret talent. Rosalie wound her fingers in his thick, brown hair as they swayed to the music. She opened her eyes briefly to look about her. She found Bella immediately. She was hard to miss as she danced with the handsome wolf boy. A mischievous smile curved her full, red lips upwards as she returned her attention back to Emmet and closed her eyes.

* * *

The music ended. Bella reluctantly opened her eyes and stepped back a little from Jacob. He was close, very close. His mouth was hovering just above hers. Their eyes met and locked. Bella knew she should pull away from him, but he seemed to have her under some kind of spell. She exhaled deeply as he pushed a strand of hair behind her ear. "Bells." He whispered her name like a prayer.

"Jake." She whispered back.

Jacob's eyes flicked to her lips before looking back up at her. Bella felt her heart pounding in her chest with anticipation. She forgot the crowd around her, she forgot that she was at her own wedding, she forgot all about the man she had just married. All she could see was Jacob, only Jacob. Her eyes were riveted on his inviting mouth as he inched his head closer to hers. Bella's eyes fluttered close as she waited expectantly for his lips to reach hers. Instead she felt his warm breath on the shell of her ear. "The leech is back." He whispered, making her eyes flare open in shock.

_**A/N-thanks for reading! **_


	3. Chapter 3

**The Wedding Crasher**

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to Stephanie Meyer.

_**A/N-thank you for the lovely reviews. Nikki :)**_

**Part Three **

"Bella, would you come with me, please?" Edward's voice was soft but it had a hint of steel behind it as he looked over at Jacob.

Bella swallowed thickly. She felt like a child who had been caught with her hand in the cookie jar, and she supposed in a way, that was what she was. She stepped back from Jacob, who had a dark look on his face as he glared at Edward. For a moment she wondered if he wasn't going to let her go, but slowly he unclenched his fingers from hers and released her. "I'm sorry." She whispered to him before she drifted over to her new husband.

Edward kept his eyes trained on Jacob the whole time as he took hold of Bella's hand. He laced his cold fingers with hers, one thumb tracing the ornate wedding and engagement ring. "Come, we need to talk."

"Right now?" Bella questioned him. His eyes flicked to hers and she could see the deep hurt registering in them. She began to drown in her guilt. She allowed him to lead her back to the house. Jacob didn't follow.

Edward was silent on the way back. His lips were set in a grim line as he led Bella into the open plan lounge area and closed the large glass doors behind them. He then proceeded to draw the blinds across the doors to hide them both from anyone who happened to glance inside. Bella went and perched on the edge of one of the white leather sofa's. She felt extremely guilty and uncomfortable. She had crossed a line on her own wedding day. For the second time in their relationship Edward had to contend with seeing her in Jacob's arms about to kiss him.

"Why?" Was all he said when he was satisfied they were alone. He came to stand before her, a frustrated look on his face. Bella had seen it many times before. She knew that it irked him considerably that he couldn't just read her mind.

"I'm sorry, Edward." She apologized.

"I don't want an apology. I want to know why?" Edward's normally gentle voice was laced with anger.

Bella looked at him guiltily. "I can't tell you why exactly."

"Not good enough, Bella." Edward retorted. "Today you stood at that alter pledging to marry me and forsake all others, which should include Jacob Black. I thought we were past all this."

"He is my best friend. I've missed him." Bella replied.

"You do not nearly kiss your so called 'friend' on the mouth on your own wedding day. Please spare me the lies, Bella. For once let's stop skirting the issue and talk about what really is going on." Edward pinched the bridge of his nose to calm himself.

"Edward I never meant to..."

"You still love him." Edward interrupted her.

Bella bit down on her bottom lip, trying her best to control the tears which threatened to spill out of her eyes. "Yes, but you knew this." She confessed.

Edward sat down on one of the other chairs. He leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees. "Yes I did know this, but you assured me that you loved me more. Be honest with me, Bella. Is this still the case?"

The hurt in his eyes made her flinch. She could see and sense his complete devastation. She was back where she had been at the start, caught between her feelings for two supernatural beings. She loved them both in such different ways. Edward had been her first experience of all consuming love, but he had left her alone and abandoned. During his absence Jacob had crept into her heart almost without her realising it and when Edward returned it had been hard for her to let Jacob go. In truth she hadn't.

"I see how it is." Edward said when she didn't answer.

"Edward I..." Bella stood and tried to go to him as he rose himself and began to head for the stairs.

"No, Bella." Edward held up his hand. "I can't...no I won't do this any more. If you want Jacob Black then go to him. I will not force you to remain with me out of some sort of misplaced guilt or whatever it was that compelled you to marry me today."

"I love you, Edward." Bella implored, the easy tears welling in her eyes.

"But what kind of love, Bella? What kind? It doesn't seem to be the passionate kind that you show when you are with Jacob Black, does it?" Edward said bitterly. "I see the effect he has on you and the effect you have on him. Even though you married me today he still turned up and tried to claim you and you are letting him."

Bella didn't know what to say. She couldn't really deny the truth of Edward's words. This morning as she stood at the alter and exchanged her vows with him she had been so certain, so sure of her decision. Jacob had been gone for so long, she thought he was done with her and she would never see him again. She hadn't expected him to turn up unannounced at her wedding. Marrying Edward meant ultimately becoming a vampire. Bella knew this, it was what she had begged Edward for, even though he had been very reluctant. The condition had been that she marry him first and she had only agreed on this basis. Marriage meant little to her after seeing evidence of it's failure.

Jacob on the other hand had been fighting hard to get her to remain human. 'Until your heart stops beating,' he had once vowed. But when he had been lying broken on his bed after the newborn battle, to Bella it had seemed he had finally given in. He had seemed weary of the fight; confessing that he was the natural path her life would have taken if Edward had not existed. And he would have been right. Jacob could take care of her, she knew he would never leave her for another, not unless he imprinted. She had worried about that once, but he was always so insistent that it wouldn't happen to him that she believed his words.

"Bella what are you thinking?" She had been so preoccupied with her thoughts that she hadn't noticed that he was now kneeling in front of her.

"I don't want to hurt either of you." Bella hung her head.

Edward reached out and gently placed his hand under her chin and lifted her head so she had to look into his sad eyes. The expression in them just about broke her heart. "You have to make a decision, Bella. A final choice. In two hours we leave for our honeymoon. You have to decide by that time whether you will accompany me as my wife or you leave with Jacob Black."

"Edward..." Bella's voice tailed off as he rose gracefully to his feet.

"Two hours, Bella." He said again as he slowly ascended the stairs to his room.

* * *

Bella wandered back outside. The music was still playing. She watched the couples dancing and envied them. She wished she wasn't so torn. She had married Edward, why had she done that if at the first sign of Jacob's return she was doubting herself. She kicked at a stone angrily and sat down on the low wall. "Dammit." She muttered.

"Damn who?" Jacob appeared beside her suddenly, startling her.

"Jake." She hissed. "Don't creep up on me like that."

Jacob ignored her anger. He sat down beside her and studied her for a moment. "So what are you going to do?"

"About?"

"About what the leech just said. Two hours isn't a long time."

Bella glared at him. "You were eavesdropping."

"So?" Jacob shrugged. "I needed to find out what was going on. So what are you going to do?"

"I don't know." Bella snapped.

"How can you not know? You nearly kissed me, Bells." Jacob said in exasperation.

"I know." Bella sighed and rested her head in her hands.

"You love me don't you?" Jacob pressed.

"Yes." Bella glanced at him. "But I love Edward too."

"You can't love him that much otherwise you would have shown me the door as soon as I made a pass." Jacob growled. "Admit it, Bella. You've made a mistake. Just let the leech know and we can just go."

Bella stood up, angry at his presumption. "Just leave me alone, Jake. I need to clear my head."

"No." Jacob stood up too. He grabbed her hand and began to yank her after him.

"Let go of me." Bella tried to stop but he was too strong.

"It's about time you saw what you could lose if you go off with the leech." Jacob got tired of her struggling. He picked her up and draped her over his shoulder, quickly disappearing within the trees before anyone took any notice.

Bella hit him on the back again and again. "Put me down."

"Just be quiet." Jacob warned her. "Otherwise you could upset them."

"Upset who?" Bella stopped yelling and breathed a sigh of relief when he placed her carefully back on her feet.

"Them." Jacob pointed over to a group of children playing. Alice had wanted young girls to throw rose petals after Bella as she walked down the aisle and a young boy to act as ring bearer. None of them knew any available children, so Alice had found a wedding company that hired young actors for the day. The children had been accompanied by their parents and they were now all enjoying the food and the many games and toys the Cullen's had provided now that their roles had been fulfilled.

Bella stood and watched as one of the blonde girls, she was no more than six years of age, began to chase her companions. Her long hair streamed out behind her like a banner as she chased after them. They all laughed as the young girl shouted had and the chase began all over again. The joy on their young faces was a sight to behold. Bella was mesmerized. She stood gazing at them for quite some time before she felt Jacob's hand on her shoulder.

"If you stay with Edward you will never have children. You will miss out on one of the most wonderful experiences of your life. You will never be able to see Charlie again after you are turned you will never be able to visit your mother. You won't see any of your old friends and you won't ever be able to see me again." Jacob whispered.

Jacob's words hit her hard. Of course she knew this. She wasn't naïve. It would be the price she would pay to be with Edward for eternity. The sound of the girl's laughter made her stare at the children again. Had she ever laughed like that when she was six? She couldn't remember. "I want to go." She said as she spun round and started to walk away.

"Bells?" Jacob walked next to her, trying to read her expression. She looked upset.

"I need to be alone for a while." Bella put her arms around her waist, a gesture Jacob hadn't seen for a while.

"Don't do that." He chided her. He pulled her arms apart and gripped her wrists, forcing her to look at him again. "Tell me what you're thinking right now."

"No." Bella tried to yank her wrists out of his hold but as usual Jacob was too stubborn to let her go.

"Tell me." Jacob said again. He looked into her eyes and shook her a little.

"I was thinking that I never got to be that happy, carefree little girl, alright." She yelled at him. "How would I know how to be a good mother? I never had one."

Jacob sighed as he saw the tears beginning to leak out of Bella's eyes. He did the only thing he could. He pulled her against his chest and wrapped his arms around her as she cried.

_**A/N-thanks for reading! **_


	4. Chapter 4

**The Wedding Crasher**

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to Stephanie Meyer.

_**A/N-thank you for the lovely reviews. Nikki :)**_

**Part Four**

It took a while for Bella to calm down after her revelation about being a good mother. Jacob held her the whole time she cried, until she ended up soaking his shirt with her tears. Eventually the weeping subsided and she pulled away; embarrassed now she had revealed her fear and that she had cried so much. She began to cross her arms across her waist, but one look from Jacob made her stop her old coping gesture. She sighed instead and sat cross legged on the ground. Jacob instantly sat beside her.

"Your fears are groundless you know." Jacob said gently.

"Really?" Bella stared down at her hands. "I haven't had the best role model in marriages or raising a family. Mom has always been like a child herself and I've only gotten closer to my dad recently. Even now though, since I married Edward, I can see he is pulling away."

"You've hardly been reachable, Bells." Jacob reminded her. "You surround yourself with the Cullen's at all times. How is he supposed to connect with you?"

Bella knew he was right. She continued to look at her hands, trying her best not to twist them in her lap. Jacob was forcing her to confront issues she didn't want to think about. Being a mother was something she had suppressed. It wasn't like she would ever get the opportunity with Edward anyway. Being a vampire seemed so much easier then having to deal with real life issues. Bella felt she had messed up so much already.

"Tell me what you're thinking?" Jacob asked her when she didn't answer.

"I don't know what to think and that's the problem." Bella confessed. "My future until about an hour ago was certain, now it is all up in the air again."

"Good." Jacob was blunt as always. "You need to really see what you could lose if you went ahead with this farce of a marriage."

Bella raised her head and glared at him. "Farce? How dare you? You act as if I have no idea what I'm doing. I married Edward because I love him. That has not changed."

Jacob flinched at her words. He didn't want to her about her love for the leech. "You can't love him that much if you have feelings for me." He snapped.

"You are the one who once said it is possible to have feelings for two people." Bella retorted.

"My point was that you can't marry someone when you love another." Jacob was getting angry with her again. She frustrated him so much with her back and forth. Why couldn't she just make a decision and stick with it? Every time she faltered in her commitment to Cullen she continued to give him hope, only then to shoot him down again. He was getting sick of it.

"This is my future, Jake. This decision is final for me, in more ways then one." Bella drew her knees up to her chest and looped her arms around them.

"You are still young, Bells. There is plenty of time..."

"You know in my case this is not true. Edward is frozen at seventeen." Bella sighed again and rested her chin on her knees.

"So that's what you want, to remain a teenager forever. Stuck in a cold, marble body drinking blood, attending high school over and over repetitively. You won't be able to settle anywhere for more than a few years. You'll have to give up your friends, family and watch them die while you continue to exist on and on, never sleeping, never being able to really feel anything ever again except regret about what you've given up. If that's what you want then go to the leech now, Bella. I am done." Jacob said in disgust. He jumped easily to his feet and began to walk away.

Bella hit her fists on the ground hard. Once again he had stirred her up and forced her to think about what she would really be losing. Damn him for always being right! She scrambled back onto her feet and began to run after him for the second time that day. "Wait." She cried out.

Jacob stopped, his shoulders hunched as he stood with his back to her. "What Bella?" He muttered.

Bella reached him and caught hold of his hand, trying to get him to turn around. He refused at first, still feeling resentful. But she kept up the pressure until he gave in and turned to face her. "What?" He said again.

"I'm sorry." Bella apologized.

"For what exactly?" Jacob questioned her, his voice full of bitterness.

"For always hurting you. I never wanted to do that. It hurts me here when you hurt." Bella declared, placing a hand over her heart. "I've just been so conflicted and confused. Seeing you injured in your bed after the newborn battle really made me see the consequences of my actions. I can't be responsible for putting you in danger like that again, Jake. Despite your wolf side you are human and could get seriously hurt. I can't take the risk that I might be responsible for that again."

"Bells I can take care of myself." Jacob took her hands and laced his fingers with hers. "No on can tell what the future will bring. Just know that I love you, surely that's all that counts at the end of the day?"

Bella swallowed thickly. "It does count very much."

"Well then stop fighting your true future. Stop all this doubt and self blame. None of us are perfect, honey. But you will have a great support network to see you through the bad times. Please just let yourself trust me. We could have a great future together if only you would give us a chance." Jacob held her hands tightly as he waited with baited breath for her answer.

Bella stared at him for what seemed like forever. What he said rang true. He would support her, she knew all of that. He had always been her savior in more ways then one. It was herself she had to learn to trust. Could she? Would she be able to finally let Edward go? Head to a future as just herself, the human Bella Swan. Was being a simple human who sometimes screwed up really such a bad thing to be? Jacob didn't think so, he loved her unconditionally, she knew that. With him she never had to pretend or be something other than she was. With Edward she was always afraid of messing up and she never felt like she quite lived up to who he wanted her to be. Her trust in him had been damaged when he had left her the first time and she had never completely got it back. In truth Bella was afraid to step out into the unknown, with a life without the security that Edward could bring her, but with Jacob by her side, maybe she would be just about brave enough to take the plunge. Ever so subtly Bella nodded at him.

Jacob broke out into a sunny smile and picked her up in his arms, whirling her about in a circle, laughing happily, until they were both dizzy.

* * *

It seemed as if Edward knew what was going to happen. Before the two hours were even up he was already sitting in the open plan lounge area waiting. He watched with dull eyes as she timidly entered the house. He saw Jacob hovering outside before Bella asked him to give them some privacy. He could see that Black wasn't happy with this request, but he gave in and retreated, probably still within hearing distance, but at least it was the illusion of privacy. Bella came over to Edward and perched on one of the leather chair's opposite him.

"You are leaving to go with Jacob Black, aren't you?" He said softly, his words barely audible.

Tears welled in Bella's eyes as she looked at him. His face registered his devastation and it about broke her heart. "I'm sorry, Edward. I can't deny him any longer. Or myself. I will always love you. A piece of my heart will always belong to you."

Edward gave her a heartbreaking smile. "Give him your whole heart, my love. What we shared together was magical and I will never ever forget what we had together. I will love you for the rest of my existence, there will be no other."

"Edward don't say that." Bella cried out. She reached out a trembling hand in his direction and he took it carefully between his own. He leaned down and kissed the back of her hand, letting his cold lips linger on her warm skin.

"All I ever wanted was for you to be happy, Bella. I think that you will be. Jacob Black can give you a full and happy life, with a family and one day children. Enjoy your human life, my love, and live it for me, for all my family. You will be in my thoughts every day." Edward abruptly let go of her hand and stood up. "I am going to go, Bella. I was never good at long drawn out goodbyes."

Before Bella could utter another word he had gone. She stared around the room, her lips trembling as the tears spilled over onto her cheeks. "Goodbye, Edward." She whispered for the last time before silently slipping out of the house.

At the top of the stairs where he was standing Edward pressed his back against the wall as silent, dry, choking sobs tore from his throat. Letting her go was the hardest thing he had ever done. He had meant every word he had said to her, but he knew he would never love another. Out of the shadows his sibling Alice appeared. She had already seen what had occurred. She sat beside him and put her arms around him as he continued to grieve for his lost love.

* * *

Jacob watched Bella as she emerged from the house. He saw her turn and look back a couple times as she wiped tears from her eyes. He had heard everything that had been said between her and Cullen. He waited until she reached him and then held out his hand. Bella wiped at her eyes again before taking it firmly in her own. The warmth from his touch soothed her nerves.

"You okay?" He asked.

"Yeah." Bella gave him a tremulous smile. "I am now."

Jacob tugged her closer and leaned down to place a gentle kiss on her lips. "What do we do now?" He asked her when it was over.

Bella took a deep breath before answering. "Now we better go and break the news to our dad's."

Jacob laughed at her gentle teasing as he slipped his arm across her shoulders and led her back to the reception.

_**FIN...**_


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